Button-sewing machine



Jan. 3, 1928. I I 1,654,593

R. L. LYONS BUTTON SEWING MACHINE Filed Sept. 18. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fnvanior Haber? L. Lyafls Jan. 3, 1928.

R. L. LYONS BUTTON SEWING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18, 1924 \lmunumsx I Patented Jan. 3, 192 8.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce.

ROBERT L. LYONS, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK OSANN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BUTTON-SEWING MACHINE.

Application filed September 18, 1924. Serial No. 788,380.

This invention relates to machines for sewing 011 buttons, more particularly for one hole or shank buttons. By one hole or shank buttons are meant those which are designed to have the attaching threads passed through the rear portion of the button only as distinguished from those having stltchreceiving holes therethrough from front to back, the stitches showing on the front face of the button after it has been attached.

In machines such as those employing a single thread, the thread maybe knotted on the last needle stroke, whereupon it may be broken and the work released. This inven-'- tion, therefore, comprises a .clamp for bold.

ing the buttons in proper relation to the sewing instrumentalities and the work and movable to break the thread after the knot has been tied and then to release the button so that the work and button may be removed from the machine and another button easily.

left extending from the back .face of the goods, the pressure of the goods on this end portion of the thread as the goods he on the upper face of the work plate preventlng this end portion of the thread from being drawn down by the looper and used up in the next series of stitches. I

Another purpose of this invention, therefore, is to provide a work plate constructed so as to permit this length of thread to be taken up in the-first sewing stroke to an extent suflioient to prevent it from presenting an unsightly appearance from the rear face of the goods. Not only does this improve the appearance of the goods, but it represents a substantial saving in the amount of thread used.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide a work holder which may be readily raised or lowered to hold'the Work at a level with the center of different sized buttons.

For a more complete understanding of 'work table.

this invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation to a larger scale showing the work plate and the button clamp.

Figure 3 is a side elevation partly sectioned of the. forward portion of the machine.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary perspectives illustrating buttons of different sizes in position for sewing.

Referring to these figures, 1 indicates the work table of the sewing machine, 2 indicates the standard extending upwardly from the work table at its rear end and merging in an arm 3 having a head'4-at. its outer end above the outer end of the work table and in which the needle mechanism is carried. At 5 is shown the needle bar carrying an eye needle 6 at its lower end, the needle bar being mounted for lateral vibration within the head 4 in order that it may pass alternately through the rear .portion of the button and the adjacent portion of the work, all in the well known manner.

As shown in Figure 3 the work table 1 serves to house the looper mechanism 10 and has an opening 11 through its upper face through which the needle passes. As illustrated best in Figure '4 thisopening 11 is formedas a slot extending lat'erallyof the The button .is' supported on edge in proper relation to the sewing instrumentalities, for this purpose a button clamp indicated generally at A being employed. As shown this button clamp comprises a block 15 mounted to move vertically from and toward the work table 1 and to this end it is shown as fixed by means of an extension 16 to the outer end of an arm 17 pivoted at 18 to a portion of the machine frame. This block 15 has adjustably fixed to its forward means of an adjusting screw 22. Such mechanism per se forms no part of the present invention and hence is not believed to require extended description.

Beneath the upper jaw 20 is a lower aw which has a rear upwardly extending portion as at 26 mounted to slide easily in a guideway 27 vertically arranged on the rear face of the block 15. As shown this guideway is formed by means-of a vertically extending groove 28 in the 'rear face of the block and a pair of spaced guide strips 29 made fast to the rear face of this block at opposite sides of the groove 28 and having flanged portion 30 overlying the rear face of the member 26. Extending rearwardly from the portion 26 is a rachet portion 31 which as shown in Figures 1 and 3 is provided with downwardly directed ratchet teeth 32.

In the normal operative position of the parts the jaw25 rests on the work table 1, and at its upper face is formed with a suitable depression to receive the lower edge of the button. The upper jaw 20 is formed on its lower face with a mating button-engaging portion and the spring pressed plunger 21 acts to urge this jaw downwardly to clamp the button against the lower jaw as shown in dotted lines at 35 in Figure 1.

At the end of the sewing operation the clamp may be raised and for this purpose a chain is shown as fixed at its lower end to the extension 16 of the block 15 at 41 and at its upper end to a crank arm 42 carried by a rock shaft 43. A spring 44 coiled about this rock shaft and fixed at one end in a bearing 45 for the shaft and at its other end in a collar 46 made fast to this shaft acts normally to hold the crank arm 42 in depressed position so that the button clamp may be in its lowest position as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The rock shaft 43 is also provided with a crank arm 47 which is engaged by the upper end of a link 48 to the lower end of which a chain 49 is fixed, this chain leading to a treadle or any other suitable actuating means by which the link 48 may be pulled downwardly and the shaft 43 rocked in opposition to the force of the spring 44 and the chain 40 pulled upwardly to raise the block 15.

After the completion of the sewing operation the lower jaw 25 is caused to move upwardly with the upper aw to raise the button as the upper jaw is raised, to an extent sutlicient to insure the breaking of the thread, whereupon the lower jaw is released from the upper jaw so that the button and the work may be freely removed from the machine. For the purpose of causing the lower jaw to partake of the upward movement of the upper jaw to a sufficient extent to insure the breaking of the thread, a lever is shown as pivoted at 56 to a fulcrum block 57 fixed as by means of a set screw 58 to the block extension 16. The lower end of this lever is turned rearwardly and upwardly to form a hook 60 which is formed as a pawl to engage in the teeth 32 of the ratchet and it is normally urged into engaging position therewith by means of a spring 61. The lower jaw is thus connected to move with the upper jaw as long as the pawl 60 is in engagement with the ratchet teeth 32 so that as the upper jaw is raised it carries the lower jaw therewith with a button therebetween until the lever 55 is disengaged from the ratchet teeth whereupon the lower jaw immediately beeomes disconnected from the upper jaw and drops by graviy into the dotted line position shown in Figure 3 with its outer end resting on the work table 1 in position for a button to be placed thereon. If now the upper jaw is allowed to descend, as by releasing tension on the chain 49, it engages the upper edge of a button placed in position on the lower jaw, the pawl and ratchet permitting thejaws to approach each other as far as is permitted by the button but preventing separation thereof until-the lever 55 is released from the ratchet and thus conforms automatically to whatever diameter of button is placed in position thereon.

The disengagement of the lower jaw after the thread has been broken is accomplished by further raising movement of the block 15 after the upper end of the lever strikes against the lower face of the machine arm 3, as shown in Figure 3, which rocks the lever and disengages its pawl 60 from the ratchet and in order that the extent of raising movement of the lower jaw may be adjusted to conformto any particular working conditions, this upper end of the lever ismade of adjustable length so that it may impinge earlier or later on the frame-arm 3 as may be desired. As shown best in Figure 3 this' adjustment is provided by means of a sleeve telescopically arranged on the upper end of the lever and fixed in adjusted position thereon by means of a screw 66 passing through a longitudinal slot 67 in the sleeve and threaded into the body of the lever.

It will thus be seen that as the upper jaw is raised the lower jaw is also raised, lifting the button therewith until after the thread has been broken, whereupon as the lever 55 contacts the frame arm 3 in the upward motion of the block 15 with the upper jaw and is rocked by further upward movement to a sufiicient extent to disengz'ige its pawl (30 from the ratchet teeth 32 so that the lower jaw is free to drop,'thus releasing the button and permitting it and the work to be readily removed from the machine. 4

\Vhen the thread is broken as thus described, it is broken adjacent to the knot on the lower face of the work and a length of thread extending through the needle eye remains at the end of each sewing operation. At the commencement of the succeeding sewing operation, if this end of the thread which is long enough to rest on the work support when the work is being inserted is caught beneath the Work, it may remain as along thread end at theend of the next sewing operation. This not only mars the appearance of the work, butalso wastes the thread. For the purpose of preventing this holding of the thread end, the work support shown at '70 has been provided, which acts to hold the work above the work table adjacent to the button so that space is insured through which the thread end moves freely, thus causing it to be drawn back by the looper as the first stitch is made on the succeeding sewing operation so that it is utilized in making stitches for fixing the button an does not remain at the end of the sewing operation as a long loose thread end. Asv shown this work support comprises a bar of substantially circular cross section extending across the upper face of the work table and toward the button, a work support of this general cross section being found inlpractice to' be most efi'ective for the purpose. For the purpose of fixing it adjustably in position, it is shown as provided with a depending arm or "plate 71 which extends downwardly across one face of the work table and is provided with a slot 72 in which may ride a screiv 73 (see Figures 2 and 6) threaded into the side wall of the work table, preferably the hole in the work table being counterbored and a washer 74 seated therein to form a proper bearing for the inner face of the bar or plate 71. This plate may be fixed in position by means of a stud 75 extending through the slot 72 and carrying at its outer end a wing nut 7 6 engageable with the outer face of the member 71. This adjustable mounting of the work support permits it to be raised or lowered from and toward the table so that the work may be presented substantially opposite to the center of buttons of different,

sizes.

a the buttons are to be set.

In order that the needle may have proper clearance, the inner end of the member 70 may have a vertically extending notch 78 cut therein in substantial alinement with the end of the slot ll through which the needle passes.

In operation the work is presented over the member 70 in an upwardly arched position as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the material being bent back alongthe line on which The buttons are arranged between the jaws of the button clamp as hereinbefore described with their shanks, or those portions through which'the threads are to be fixed, turned toward the Work, as is also shown in Figures 5 and 6,- whereupon the laterally vibrating needle may pass alternately in its sewing strokes through the shank portion of the button as shown at 80 and through the work at the point desired for fastening the button. The thread end on each sewing operation lies along one side of the work support where it is not en aged by the work and is therefore free to be rawn down by the looper at the start of the next sewing operation as hereinbefore described.

Having thus described an embodiment of this invention it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes might be made therein without departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: a

1. In a button sewing machine, .a button clamp comprising an upper and a lower jaw relatively movable to clamp a button therebetween, means for raising said clamp with both jaws moving in unison, and means acting after a predetermined extent ofraising movement to release said lower jaw from operative connection with said raising means and permit it to drop by gravity. 2. In a button sewing machine having a work table, a button clamp comprising a lower jaw constructed to reston said work table, an upper jaw movable downwardly toward said lower jaw to clamp a button therebetween, means for holding said jaws in button. clamping position, means con- I nected to said upper jaw for raising said clamp to raise the button from saidwork table, and means acting after a predetermined extent of raising movement to release chine having a Work table, of a button clamp having a lower jawconstructed to rest on said table, an upper jaw, means for normally urging said upper jaw downwardly to clamp a button a ainst said lower jaw, means for raising said upper jaw, and means for'connecting said jaws to cause said lower jaw to be raised with said upper jaw for a predetermined distance to raise the button from the work table and for then releasing said lower jaw from said upper jaw to permit said lower jaw to drop and release the button.

'5. The combination with a sewing machine having a Work table, and a needle mechanism supporting arm extending over said table, of a button clamp having a lower jaw constructed to support a button adjacent to said work table, an upper jaw, means urging said upper jaw downwardly to clamp a button between said jaws, means to raise said upper jaw, and means for holding said jaws against movement away from each other including an element impinging on said arm after a predetermined extent of raising movement of said upper jaw and acting on further raising movement of said upper jaw to release said holding means.

(3. The combination with a sewing machine having a work table and a needlemechanism-supporting arm extending over said table, of a button clamp comprising a block movable downwardly and upwardly toward and from said work table, a lower button-clamping jaw vertically slidable on said block and constructed to support a but ton, an upper jaw carried by said block, means urging said block downwardly to clamp a button against said lower jaw by said upper jaw, means for raising said upper jaw, a ratchet carried by said lower jaw, and a lever carried by said block and normally engageable with said ratchet to cause the raising of said upper jaw to raise said lower jaw therewith for a predetermined distance, said lever then impinging on said arm and being rocked on further upward motion of said block to be disengaged from said ratchet permitting said lower jaw to fall.

7. The combination with a sewing machine having a work table and a needlemcchanism-supporting arm extending over said table, of a button clamp comprising a block movable downwardly and upwardly toward and from said work table, a lower buttonsclamping jaw vertically slidable on said block and constructed to support a button, an upper jaw carried by said block, means urging said block downwardly to clamp a button against said lower jaw by said upper jaw, means for raising said upper jaw, a ratchet carried by said lower jaw, and a lever carried by said block and normally engageable with said ratchet to cause the raising of said upper jaw to raise said lower jaw therewith for a predetermined distance. said lever then impinging on said arm and being rocked on further upward motion of said block to be disengaged from said ratchet permitting said lower jaw to fall, said lever being provided with an armimpinging portion adj ust-able thereon whereby the extent of raising of said lower jaw with said upper jaw may be adjusted.

' 8. A button clamp comprising a guide block having a slideway therein, a buttonclamping jaw fixed to said block, a buttonclamping jaw having a portion slidable in said slideway and movable toward and from said fixed jaw, said slidable portion having ratchet teeth therein, and a lever having a pawl portion engageable with said teeth to releasably hold said slidable jaw from movement away from said fixed jaw.

9. A button clamp comprising a guide block having a slideway therein, a buttonclamping jaw fixed to said block. a mating button-clamping jaw slidably carried in sald slideway and movable therein toward and from said fixed aw to clamp a button therebetween, and releasable latch means for preventing separation of said jaws.

10. A button clamp comprising a guide block having a slideway therein, a buttonclamping jaw fixed to said block, a mating button-clamping jaw slidably carried in said slideway and movable therein toward and from said fixed aw to clamp a button there- 'between, and releasable means for preventing separation of said jaws while permitting them to approach each other.

11. The combination with a button sewing machine having a work table, sewing instrumentalities including an eyeneedle, and a clamp for holding a button in co-operative relation to said instrumentalities, of a work support having a rounded surface to space the work above said work table adjacent to said clamp to prevent a length of thread extending from a needle at the start of the sewing operation from being held therebetween and permitting it to be drawn down by the looper to be used to make sewing stitches.

12. A work support for a sewing machine having a work table, which comprises a rod of substantially circular cross section, and means for fixing said rod to the sewing machine to extend over said work table.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

ROBERT L. LYONS. 

